Research Interests

Dr. Hart's research interests have focused on the neural basis of semantic memory in the human brain. His work spanning several decades has focused on identifying the organization of semantic memory in the human brain by proposing that there is both a categorical and featural structure to object memory that exists in multiple memory systems in the brain. His laboratory's recent studies have used functional neuroimaging and electrophysiological investigations to explore the neural mechanisms underlying combining these components of an object together to form an integrated object memory. They recently reported that one neural mechanism by which retrieval of this object memory can occur is via synchronizing beta brain rhythms that are modulated by the thalamus. This mechanism is modulated by the pre-SMA and caudate to facilitate effective semantic memory retrieval. These findings have led to his group's proposal of the Neural Hybrid Model of Semantic Memory to account for how the brain stores and retrieves object memory. He is now investigating object memory and word finding deficits in multiple disease states in terms of both diagnosing and designing treatment options based on this model including PTSD, MS, dementia, and those with TBI who are aging such as retired NFL players.